Physicochemical Characterization of Different Varieties of Quinoa

Quinoa is a pseudocereal from South America known for its unique nutritional properties. Hundreds of varieties and experimental lines are currently either grown or in development in many countries around the world. There exists a lack of information about, and understanding of, the nutritional composition and processing characteristics of these varieties and their potential end-use applications. Twenty-eight quinoa varieties and experimental lines tested in the Washington State University breeding program were evaluated for their chemical composition and physicochemical characteristics. Both compositional and physicochemical analysis demonstrated wide variation in properties among the varieties. Analysis of flour swelling power, water absorption index, and differential scanning calorimetry further supported the differences hypothesized between varieties. Hierarchical cluster analysis grouped the varieties into four clusters. Principal component analysis was used to visually display the data on a biplot, representing most of the variance (>60%) in the set. These results reflect possible end uses in bread, cakes, and noodles for varieties exhibiting high viscosities.